President Mahama recalls Ghana’s High Commissioner to Nigeria following an allegation of vote buying
President John Dramani Mahama has directed the immediate recall of Mr Mohammed Baba Jamal Ahmed, popularly called “Baba Jamal”, from his position as Ghana’s High Commissioner to the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
This was contained in a statement issued by Mr Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Presidential Spokesman and made available to Veritas News.
The decision is necessitated by allegations of voter inducement in Saturday’s National Democratic Congress (NDC) primaries to elect a candidate for the upcoming bye-elections at the Ayawaso East Constituency.
It said in his directive to the Minister for Foreign Affairs recalling Mr Baba as High Commissioner, the President noted that, while the allegations of vote-buying were made against multiple candidates who contested the primaries, Mr Baba Jamal was the only serving public officer among them.
The statement said the President had also noted the public statement by the General Secretary of the NDC, indicating that the Party had commenced its own investigations into the allegations arising from the primaries.
“Without prejudice to the ongoing internal party processes, and strictly in view of the standards of conduct expected of public officers, the President considers it necessary to act decisively to preserve the integrity of public office and to avoid any perception of impropriety or conflict with the Government’s Code of Conduct for Political Appointees,” it stated.
The statement said the recall takes effect immediately, and the Minister for Foreign Affairs had been directed to take the necessary administrative and diplomatic steps to give effect to this directive.”
